The Seraglio (Aubry de La Mottraye's "Travels throughout Europe, Asia and into Part of Africa...," London, 1724, vol. I, pl. 18)

Art Historical Context

Step into the exotic world of the Ottoman Empire through *The Seraglio*, a captivating etching and engraving from 1723–24, featured as plate 18 in I of Aubry de Mottraye's *Travels throughout Europe, Asia and into Part of* (London, 1724). This second-state print depicts an intimate interior scene alive with men and women dancing, offering European audiences a rare glimpse into the luxurious seraglio— the private quarters of a sultan's palace. De La Mottraye, a French traveler and author, documented his adventures, fueling the 18th-century fascination with Orientalism during the Enlightenment. The artwork stems from a remarkable collaboration: Jean Baptiste Vanmour, a Flemish painter who spent decades at the Ottoman court in Istanbul, likely supplied the original designs based on his firsthand observations; William Hogarth, the renowned English satirist and printmaker, masterfully etched and engraved the image; and de La Mottraye oversaw its inclusion. Etching and engraving techniques allowed for intricate details in textures, costumes, and dynamic poses, making high-quality reproductions accessible via books and prints—revolutionary for disseminating "exotic" visuals to a wide public. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932), this 10 x 13⅞-inch plate (plate mark) bridges art, travel literature, and cultural exchange. It not only showcases Hogarth's precise line work but also preserves Vanmour's vivid portrayals of Eastern life, inviting visitors to ponder Europe's growing curiosity about distant worlds.

About the Artist

William Hogarth|Jean Baptiste Vanmour|Aubry de La Mottraye · 1697–1764

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was an English painter, printmaker, and pictorial satirist who became the first great English-born artist to attract admiration abroad. Born into poverty in London, the son of a failed schoolmaster who was imprisoned for debt, Hogarth's early experiences with the harsh realities of 18th-century urban life profoundly shaped his artistic vision. After apprenticing with si...